St John's Church, Warminster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church, Warminster |
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| Church of St John the Evangelist, Warminster | |
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| 51°12′1.80″N 2°9′58.32″W / 51.2005000°N 2.1662000°W | |
| Location | 95 Boreham Road, Warminster, BA12 9JY |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | High church |
| Website | https://www.riverwerechurches.org/st-johns-church-boreham/ |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | John the Evangelist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 31 March 1978 |
| Architect(s) | George Edmund Street |
| Style | Early English style with Gothic Revival elements |
| Years built | 1865 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bishopstrow and Boreham |
| Deanery | Heytesbury |
| Archdeaconry | Sarum |
| Diocese | Salisbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
St John's Church, also known as the Church of St John the Evangelist, is a special church in Warminster, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This beautiful building was built in 1865. It is considered a very important historical building, listed as Grade II* because of its special design and history.
Building and Design
Work on St John's Church began in 1865. It was needed because the main church, St Denys', was getting too crowded. The new church was finished in the same year. The land for the church was given by William Temple in 1859. It was a field called Picked Acre, located near Boreham Road.
The vicar of St Denys', Rev J. E. Phillips, started a fundraising effort. In less than a year, they raised £2,700. This was more than enough, as the church only cost £1,935 to build.
A famous architect named George Edmund Street designed the church in 1864–1865. He used a style called Early English style. From the outside, the church looks quite simple. But when you step inside, it's full of surprises!
Inside the Church
The inside of St John's Church is very detailed. The floor has beautiful tiles. There is a special screen wall in the chancel, which is the area near the altar. The reredos, a decorated screen behind the altar, shows a picture of the Crucifixion.
You can also see a font for baptisms and a pulpit where sermons are given. The church has oak choir stalls and wooden benches for people to sit on. All these parts were finished by 1868. The colourful stained glass windows in the chancel were made by a company called Clayton and Bell. There is one bell in a small tower over the east end of the church.
The walls are decorated with amazing mosaics and opus sectile murals. These are like pictures made from tiny pieces of coloured glass or stone. They show scenes from the Bible. These artworks were designed by Charles Ponting and created by James Powell and Sons between 1911 and 1915. You can also see mosaics of four archangels on the east wall, behind the reredos. A special area for baptisms, called a baptistery, was added in 1925–1926.
Church Community
St John's was first built as a "chapel-of-ease" for St Denys' church. This means it was a smaller church built to help the main parish church. Later, in 1956, the area around St John's became part of the Bishopstrow parish. This parish was then renamed Bishopstrow and Boreham.
Today, St John's Church is part of a group of churches called the River Were benefice. This group works together to serve the local community.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Juan Evangelista (Warminster) para niños
